US spends $41 billion a year on pets

Buying, feeding, and caring for pets in excess of what
Americans spend on the movies ($10.8 billion), playing video games ($11.6
billion), and listening to recorded music ($10.6 billion)
combined.

Eat like their owners
42% of dogs now sleep in the
same bed as their owners, up from 34% in 1998. Their menu reflects every fad in
human food—from locally sourced organic meat and vegan snacks to gourmet meals
bolstered by, say, glucosamine to ward off stiff joints. Half of all dog owners
say they consider their pet’s comfort when buying a car, and almost a third buy
gifts for their dogs’ birthdays. About 77% of dogs and 52% of cats have been
medicated in the past year, an increase of about 20% from
1996.

Fastest growing
About 63% of US households, or 71 million
homes, now own at least one pet, up from 64 million just five years ago. After
consumer electronics, pet care is the fastest-growing category in retail,
expanding about 6% a year. More new pet products were launched in the first six
months of last year than in all of 2005.

Pet products
Pet
products now aim to make people feel they’re being extra good to their little
ones—much as toy makers have long encouraged parents to spoil kids. Along with
doggie spas, there are mobile pet-grooming vans, pedicure services, professional
dog walkers, and massage therapy for animals. And for some pet lovers, no
medical procedure is too extreme. Plastic surgeons offer rhinoplasty, eye lifts,
and other cosmetic procedures to help tone down certain doggy features, from
droopy eyes to puggish noses. Root canals, braces, and even crowns for chipped
teeth are also becoming more popular.

(Source: The Pet
Blog)